Easy Company Liberation
by FFww2reviewerJC
Summary: This is a random FF I did. I basically took Band of Brothers: Episode 9 "Why We Fight" and The Boy In the Striped Pajamas and made them one. Based on Easy Company's liberation.
1. Chapter 1: The Camp and Liberation

_**Author's Note:**_

_"Easy Company Liberation" is set at the concentration camp Kaufering IV, which was liberated by Easy Company (Band of Brothers) on April 27, 1945. I own nothing, except Jeremiah. Shmuel, Bruno, Gretel, Elsa, Ralf, and Lieutenant Kotler are part of the novel/movie "The Boy In The Striped Pajamas" and Joseph Liebgott, along with the other soldiers are real men of Easy Company._

_Kaufering was 11 labor camps, mainly for Jews. Most Jews there died of starvation or sickness._

_Dedicated to Joseph Liebgott and all of the other Heroes of Easy Company, and to all Jews who suffered during the Holocaust._

_Major Richard Winters - January 21, 1918- January 2, 2011_

**April 25, 1945**

_SHMUEL_

Shmuel sat near the fence, thinking of Bruno. But Bruno wasn't the only topic on his mind, his thoughts raced back to life before the camp, before the war. His Papa and Mama, his friends. The very thought made him sick. He hadn't seen his Papa in days, and his mother in weeks. His best friend and older brother, Jeremiah, was working with a few other Jews.

Bruno came rushing towards Shmuel, panting, out of breath. "I came as soon as I could! Gretel and Mom were in a fight, and,"

Shaking his head, Shmuel gratefully accepted the bread Bruno slipped under the fence. "The day after tomorrow, we're moving!"

Within moments, the bread Bruno had given Shmuel was gone. "Where?" Shmuel asked.

"Berlin," Bruno sulked. "Dad isn't coming. He's staying."

Shmuel frowned, why couldn't the commandant leave? Why did he have to stay and make them miserable? "But why?"

Bruno shrugged. "Business, I guess." Sighing irately, he said, "I wish I could get you out of here. I feel really bad, Shmuel."

Shmuel groaned. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're starving. I wish I could bring more food, but-"

Shmuel shook his head. "You're doing your best." At the sound of 'food', Shmuel remembered something, he had just forgotten to save some for his brother, Jeremiah, who would have shared with him.

"Want to play checkers again tomorrow? One last time?" Bruno offered.

Shmuel shook his head, angry with himself. "I don't want you to leave." he said quickly.

"I know," Bruno agreed. "They don't understand!"

Shmuel nodded, feeling Bruno's pain.

"Shmuel!" Jeremiah yelled. "Hurry up!"

Shmuel turned his head first towards Bruno, then back to his brother. Standing up in a rush, he said, "I have to go!"

"Please, Shmuel. I'll try to come back tomorrow!" Bruno pleaded.

Shmuel glanced at Jeremiah. "Okay, I'll try."

Before Jeremiah started to get angry, Bruno left and Shmuel hurried towards the others. Jeremiah grabbed Shmuel by the head and softly yelled, "I'm gonna kill somebody!"

Shmuel grinned. "Don't let it be me! And why? The Jew or Nazi?"

"Both!" Jeremiah said with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

_ELSA_

Moving, away. Far away, where they'd be safe. Safe from the horrors of the concentration camp. Bruno came walking in the door with a grim look on his face.

"Bruno!" Gretel screamed. "Dad's coming to Berlin with us!"

The news seemed to cheer the 8 year-old up. Bruno and Gretel seemed to be the only ones who didn't fully understand what was going on, and Elsa wasn't about to take the time to explain. Allied soldiers were coming there way, which meant they'd find the camp and arrest Ralf, no matter what.

Gretel seemed heartbroken that she may never see Lieutenant Kotler, again. As far as Elsa was concerned, she didn't care because she hated Kotler, he was a cruel, ruthless pig like her husband.

"Really mom?" Bruno said.

"Yes, dear." Elsa frantically finished packing her clothes. "Be angels and finish packing. We need to leave first thing tomorrow, so you can see your friends!"

When Gretel and Bruno left, she quietly muttered, "I guess I'll be up all night." When she turned to stand up, she realized Ralf was standing in front of her.

"Hello, darling," she said sardonically.

Ralf didn't share her sarcastic sweetness. Instead of a reply, he gently shoved his way around her.

"The least you could do is respect my decision!" Elsa said ready to burst into tears. "You could've agreed before you decided to leave, to save your own skin!"

"Elsa, this is also for you."

"I never wanted this, Ralf." Elsa put her tired face into her hands. "Not this, not that. You kill babies," tears slid down her face. "Babies, Ralf who have never done a thing wrong to you, or anyone else for that matter. With smiles and diapers and joys in life. Ralf!"

Ralf felt his fist tightening. When he faced Elsa, he screamed "It's war!"

"That isn't war!" Elsa screamed.

"It's a vital part of it!"

"How?" Elsa said enraged. "Your children have a murderer for a father! Gretel is so proud!"

"Good!"

"Those people didn't do anything to you! What if I was Jewish? Would you kill me?" Elsa dared. When Ralf failed to reply, she softly added, "If you want your children to grow up without one of their parents, so be it."

"Elsa, I-"

This time, it was Lieutenant Kotler's turn to interrupt the commandant. "Sir,"

Ralf groaned. "What?"

"I know the Allies are coming," Kotler explained. "I would like to ask permission to court your daughter."

Elsa's eyes grew wide. Before Ralf could answer, she yelled, "No! You can't! I will not allow it!"

Kotler frowned, surprised at Elsa's sudden outburst and anger.

"As she said, Kotler, no."

Elsa stood up, not believing her husband just agreed with her.

Kotler stood, shocked. "Yes, sir. I completely understand-"

"Go," Ralf's deep voice cut in.

_JOSEPH_

"The Germans, are bad!" George Luz mocked poor John Janovek for the millionth time that day.

Janovek grinned. "Yep,"

"What's the point of fighting?" Luz asked lazily. "Everyone dies."

Patrick O'Keefe argued. "We're fighting for your freedom!"

Luz cursed.

"Thou shalt not use my, the Lord's name in vain," Liebgott said sarcastically.

"Shut up, man." Luz rolled his eyes.

"The war's ending." Lewis Nixon explained. "Soon."

"Roosevelt's dead," Richard Winters snapped.

"Germans." Nixon recalled barging into a German household earlier that day.

"Don't listen to him," Luz explained to O'Keefe. "He's battling alcohol issues."

"Why we fight," Liebgott said to himself. "Why are we fighting?"

"The Germans, are bad!" Luz mocked.

Winters wasn't so sure. "The Germans are bad, but it's for our families,"

"My wife," Nixon muttered angrily. "She wants a divorce."

"Crazy old lady, her husband's a hero." Liebgott said.

"No, I just work in a company of heroes."

**April 26, 1945**

_ELSA_

They were coming, the Allies. Elsa could barely admit to herself, let alone Ralf, she was glad. The biggest mistake of her life was marrying a monster. Her life was filled with imbroglio over the camp, the people he had the nerve to treat like animals.

"Elsa!" Ralf screamed. "We have to go!"

Elsa turned her head, running up to Bruno. "Bruno, Gretel let's go!"

Even though it was faint, Elsa could hear Bruno mutter, "Why so soon?"

Relaxing, Elsa asked, "Aren't you anxious to go to Berlin?"

Bruno shook his head wildly. "I like it here!"

Not wanting to fight with Bruno, Elsa grabbed her son's hand. "Get in the car."

_SHMUEL_

"Help!" a voice, Jeremiah screamed. "Somebody help us!"

Jeremiah's yelling woke Shmuel. Why was he screaming? It didn't seem like he was getting a beating, and why weren't the guards torturing him for yelling?

"Help!" Jeremiah vociferated as loud as he could.

Wanting to know what the racket was, Shmuel forced himself to stand up and headed towards the voice. "What are you doing?"

"The guards left," Jeremiah explained. "Killed a bunch of people then left. I guess some good men are coming. Help!"

"No one is going to here you!" one man said. "Save your voice!"

Jeremiah groaned in frustration.

Gulping, Shmuel meekly asked, "We're all going to die, right? We're all going to starve?"

"No, we're not. Someone's going to find us, they have too."

_FRANK PERCONTE_

Frank Perconte, and nearly everyone else in Easy Company was getting sick of O'Keefe's optimistic attitude. He was always cheery. Yet everyone knew he had never seen combat, so why by dreary?

Sgt. Luz, Sgt. Randlemen, and Sgt. Perconte were sent out to on patrol. To theis misfortune, Patrick O'Keefe became a tag-along.

"Why did we have to bring him?" Luz hissed.

Perconte and Randlemen ignored Luz, wanting only to continue their mission and go home.

The only thing visible was trees. Trees, leaves, and the hot sun was the only thing they could see. Until, a fence came into view.

"What in the world-" Sgt. Randlemen muttered.

A long fence stretched far and wide. Beyond the fence, were a few emaciated, tired, men who were wearing striped clothing.

Behind the men were piles of, to his horror, were dead bodies.

_SHMUEL_

"Shmuel!" Jeremiah cried happily. "Someone saw us!"

Shmuel's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Jeremiah!"

"They left!" a man yelled.

Jeremiah turned his head and ran out of the barracks towards the voice.

"The guys left!"

Jeremiah groaned. "To get help," he offered a bit of hope. "Food."

"Wait one is still here, with a gun!" the same voice yelled.

"We're going to die! Accept that." a man told Jeremiah.

"Hope and faith," Jeremiah said quietly. "We've got hope and faith."

"And a man is still here, with a worried look." another pointed out.

Jeremiah nodded. "See? We'll get out of here."

_JOSEPH LIEBGOTT_

Frank Perconte came running into view like a maniac.

"See any officers?" Perconte asked frantically, as if the world was ending or the sky was falling. "Hey guys see any officers?"

"Major Winters is over there," Liebgott said.

"What's the matter?" Robert Wynn asked.

Ignoring him, Perconte ran into Winters as Winters was in a slow run into business.

"Sir, sir," Perconte said. "While, we, we were in patrol, we found something."

"What'd you find?" Winters asked glancing at his papers.

Perconte shook his head. With labored breath, said, "I don't know sir, I don't know."

_SHMUEL_

Shmuel stood by the fence, with his brother at his side. Men in uniforms and trucks came, all in shock at the grotesque sight.

The men walked as if in a trance. They started speaking, in English, both Jeremiah and Shmuel knew. Yet they didn't understand the words.

The guards walked up to the fence, and waved their arms as if signaling to back away.

Grabbing Shmuel's hand, Jeremiah shoved him back as the dazed soldiers opened the gates. When the men opened the gates, both Jeremiah and Shmuel knew they weren't going to hurt them, but help.

A few soldiers went left, others went right, and nearly three went straight, walking in the horrors of the camp. Shmuel mischievously slipped away from Jeremiah and followed a few soldiers. To their amazement, dead bodies were stuffed in train cars. They turned, not bearing to see any more. Shmuel found Jeremiah talking to a few of the soldiers, in their German language.

_JOSEPH LIEBGOTT_

"Any of your men speak German?" Winters asked.

"No," C. Carwood Lipton replied, completely dazed.

"Liebgott! Liebgott Get over here!" Winters yelled.

C. Lipton walked over to Liebgott. "Major needs you,"

Liebgott nodded. "Yes sir,"

"All right, these people need care! Give them any spare rations you have," C. Lipton ordered.

Liebgott hurried over to Major Winters. "Yes sir?"

"Translate." he ordered, grabbing one of the prisoners.

Liebgott nodded, running over his German.

"The, guards left this morning," the prisoner said in German. A young boy clung to the older boy's body, as if almost still afraid of him.

"The guards left this morning," Liebgott translated.

"They burned some of us first," the prisoner explained. Liebgott translated. "There's still some in there, alive."

Liebgott faced Major Winters.

"Some of the prisoners tried to stop them, some of them were killed," the prisoner added. "They didn't have enough, so they left and headed south."

"Someone must've told them we were coming," C. Lipton muttered.

"Yeah, probably," Liebgott nodded in agreement.

"Ask them, ask them why they're here." Winters requested.

"Why are you here?" Liebgott asked in German.

At the words, the prisoner, maybe 13 or 14 in age, spoke with tears in his eyes. "Why are we here" he repeated the question. "War camp,"

Liebgott couldn't make out the next part. "It's a war camp, I, I don't understand the rest."

"Criminals?" Winters offered.

Liebgott shook his head. "I don't think they're criminals, sir." to double check, he asked, "Criminals?"

The prisoner shook his head wildly. "No! No!" calming down, he added, "Tailors, musicians, farmers, clerks,"

Liebgott, confused, translated. Why were they here?

"Juden," he said, the German word for "Jew", both C. Lipton and Major Winters knew.

Liebgott grew furious, for he had a Jewish background. They were in here because they were Jewish? That's it?

"The women's camp is at the next railroad stop," the prisoner said before breaking into tears. "My sisters, and my Mama," he groaned.

_SHMUEL_

Shmuel looked up to see his brother.

"Its okay, they'll find them," he embraced his brothers emaciated body.

The soldier who was translating knelt down besides him. "Are you his brother?"

Shmuel nodded.

As if offering his arms in a warm hug, the soldier opened his arms. Shmuel embraced the soldier, and whispered, "Thank you,"


	2. Chapter 2: After

_**Author's Note:**_

_Decided to add one more chapter because it's important 8)_

_JOSEPH LIEBGOTT_

"Liebgott!" Winters called.

Joe stood, still in awe, at how inhumanly a person could treat another human being, all because of their race. "Yes sir?"

Richard Winter's face was solemn. "Liebgott, listen to this man."

The man, who was filled with grief, said, "These people are starving, so we can't feed them. They'll eat themselves to death. We have to keep them here, to monitor their health and food."

Liebgott stood in awe. He had to tell them what? "You mean, lock them up again? How am I supposed to tell them that?"

"He's a Jew," Winters muttered to the man.

"You have too," the doctor said quietly.

Liebgott groaned. Why him? With a tristful sigh, Liebgott stood on one of their carts. "Attention!" he yelled. "Attention!" he said, his voice getting weaker. "We have to keep you-"

Angry shouts interrupted Liebgott's desperate cries. "We have to keep you here, we are going to help you!"

Discouraged and frustrated, Joseph sat down, with his head in his hands, unable to speak.

_WEBB_

"Shut up!" Webb ordered the German baker for the thousandth time. Angry at everything he had just seen, Easy Company was mercilessly robbing bakers to feed the prisoners. The thievery brought a clamor, but Easy was just focused on feeding the Jews.

The baker was screaming in German, a language he didn't understand.

"I said shut up!" Webb barked. Tired of the German, Webb pulled out his gun and held it at the baker's forehead. "Did you smell the stench?"

The baker shivered, and shook his head wildly.

"Webb! He said he doesn't know!" Liebgott yelled at him.

"You-" Webb started, filled with malice before putting the pistol away and leaving.

_ELSA_

She was now a widow, and didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. The Allies had brutally shot her husband, and Kotler. Kotler was an evil man, therefore Elsa thought basically nothing of his death. But Ralf, Ralf was the father of her children.

_LIEBGOTT_

Joe glanced around the deadly camp. Richard Winters had told them there was a camp, ten times as big as this one that Russians had liberated. He also added every able-bodied German would be working tomorrow, cleaning up the corpses.

The Lord was their protector, he would help Joseph forgive his enemies, for the ways they made his people perish.


End file.
